As a high school principal, Keith Kline remembers the day he had to break the news to one of his students that the student's brother had taken his own life.

That was one of many tragic incidents Kline said he experienced over his 34-year career with students who may not have always felt supported or had the tools to deal with their struggles. Kline, who retired as superintendent of West Clermont School District last spring, said the moment was life-changing, not just for the family but for everyone who knew the student.

"Your heart aches," Kline said.

Kline is applying his experience in a new role as executive director of Grant Us Hope. Grant Us Hope was named for the son of the founders, Grant Egbers, who was lost to suicide in 2015. Diane and Tom Egbers wanted to find a way to bring a greater awareness to teen suicide and help others.

They found what they were looking for through a program in Utah called Hope4Utah whose lead researcher, Jennifer Wright-Berryman, is a suicide expert and an assistant professor of social work at the University of Cincinnati. The program trains student leaders to recognize symptoms of depression or other warning signs in their peers and tell others who can offer professional help.

The need for student intervention is significant.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24 and over two times the rate of homicide, according to the CDC. In 2016, nearly 45,000 Americans age 10 or older died by suicide.

In Denver last week, 9-year-old Jamel Myles took his own life. His mother, Leia Pierce, said Jamel had come out as gay and been bullied by classmates.

Dr. John Ackerman, a clinical psychologist and suicide prevention coordinator for the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, said children especially need support to navigate their feelings.

"The systems are backward. The burden is on the person who is most vulnerable. We have to reach out and shine the light on the child and hold their hand and walk them through the process," Ackerman said.

This year, more than 20 "Hope Squads," peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs, will begin operating in middle schools and high schools, primarily in the suburbs of Cincinnati. They include schools in the Lakota, Mason, Fairfield, West Clermont and Milford school districts.

"The culture over three years of having Hope Squad in a school changes to one that is much more compassionate, much more caring on a student level," Kline said. "Folks know that there are places to go when they are feeling that their life is not where they want it to be – depressed, experiencing anxiety, unfortunately, that kids are trying to work through at this point in their life."

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Español: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting 741741.